Her Touch

M is nearing the age B was when we moved back to Oklahoma.  I started blogging shortly thereafter including a post on sensory activities.  With a neuroscience husband and a neuro-peds sister we are all about engaging our children on many levels.  We are just starting doing this more and more with M and today what started as a bath time ritual morphed into a sensory activity and then into a moment I'll never forget.

B and Brent were at swimming and M and I stayed home.  We played with the adorable neighborhood girl and then came in for a bath.  When I'm in charge of bath time (rare) it usually includes some run around time before putting on PJs.   It is a gamble, but adorable and fun.  My kids have eczema so lotion is part of their ritual to varying degrees-- when we remember or there is a flare-up.  As M ran around her skin felt a little rough so we started on lotion whenever she passed by.  She wanted to join in so I gave her a bit and then a bit more seizing on the sensory idea.  We progressed to work on things like signing  or saying "more" when she wanted more.  I would dole it out just a bit at a time to her tiny waiting hand.

  All of this learning reinforcement is sort of automatic to me now, but all of it began to fade away as I watched her with her lotion.  She started slowly just rubbing it on her hands, rubbing them together and looking at them.  Eventually, she put a bit on her face or tummy before requesting more.  I convinced her to put some on my knee as by now her hands had a lot of lotion on them.  She complied and went back to her hand rubbing.  A bit later, she reached out and ever so gently rubbed some onto my face.  She did this a few times, just now and then amidst her other ministrations.

The feel of those tiny hands caressing my face gently with lotion feels seared into my mind.  I want to remember it forever.  I want to remember this sweet little girl and the feel of those baby hands.  I want to hold on to it when she is grown and far away from me.  I am thrilled and in awe of that simple, natural, un-prompted show of gentleness, love, affection and kindness.  My face and my heart have never been better.  My cup runneth over baby girl.  You continue to amaze me and I so love spending simple, incredible moments with you.